And So the World Falls to Pain
by Heart of Spellz
Summary: AU. When an illness sweeps the entire world, Sirius must fight to protect the people he cares about as the dead begin to rise. Remus is on the other side of the continent, working desperately to develop a means to put the dead back where they belong.
1. The Ending

**Disclaimer: Anything you recognise does not belong to me. This will serve for the entire story.**

_**A/N: This was written for the I Demand Zombies challenge (created by imdeadsothere) over at the HPFC forum. Thanks once more to my wonderfully delightful beta (who I harass all too much), eldritcher. **_

_**So, when I said AU, I meant massively AU. 1) Remus is not a werewolf. 2) I have messed with the timelines. For instance, James is ten years older than Sirius and Remus and never attended Hogwarts with them. **_

_**Warning: This story is not for the faint of heart. It will contain slash, language, and massive amounts of gore. Ye have been warned…**_

* * *

><p><em><strong>The Ending<strong>_

"Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. Thou preparest…"

Sirius tuned the voice out as he stood at the graveside. There were people weeping all around him, but Sirius felt nothing more than a faint twinge of sadness and regret at another life lost.

_Shouldn't I feel something more? _he mused to himself.

It was true that Sirius didn't have much experience with death – any really – but he had always thought that when someone he knew died, he would feel an unimaginable amount of grief. Instead, he stood wishing for more, though who in their right mind hoped for more emotional pain, Sirius didn't know. Perhaps the grief came only when someone was considerably close to a person?

Sirius hadn't known the woman all that well, to be honest. She had been a Healer at St. Mungo's for near ten years and the main consultant for the Auror department at the Ministry where Sirius worked. She had been feisty and happy and damn good at what she did and Sirius had truly liked her. He had only seen her three weeks ago. He hadn't even known she was ill.

As the service drew to a close and those that had gathered to mourn watched as the black casket was lowered into the ground, Sirius looked across the open grave and studied the two at the edge.

Both sported messy shocks of black hair and their faces were adorned with glasses. The older of the two, probably Sirius' senior by a decade, gazed down into the grave with unseeing hazel eyes. His jaw was clenched tightly as he obviously attempted to contain his emotions.

The younger – who Sirius knew from previous conversations with the deceased woman was ten – gripped the elder man's hand tightly and stared at the slowly descending casket with disbelieving green eyes. _So young_, Sirius thought. The boy was old enough to know what had happened, but not nearly enough to understand why. Sirius didn't think anyone was.

Exhaling a sigh, he tentatively made his way over to the two. The boy glanced up at him as he approached and gently pulled on his father's hand to gain his attention. The man blinked and turned his gaze to his son and then up to Sirius as the boy pointed.

Sirius offered his hand. "You're James Potter, yeah?" he asked softly.

The man studied him with emotionless eyes for a brief moment before accepting Sirius' hand. "I am," he replied flatly. "You are?"

"Sirius Black," he said. "I'm with the Auror department and I worked with Lily from time to time. I didn't want to leave without saying something."

James continued to stare at him and Sirius inhaled a deep breath at the pain he could clearly see in the man's eyes.

"I didn't know her well, mind, but it wasn't difficult to see that she was a brilliant person. She thought the world of you both; talked about you every chance she got." Sirius paused as James swallowed and briefly glanced away. "I know it probably won't be any type of solace, but she did love you. I could see it in her eyes anytime she spoke of you. And knowing Lily, she won't let this stop her from watching you every second of every day."

James looked back at him and swallowed again, his eyes finally filling with tears. He reached out and gripped Sirius' hand once more. "Thank you, Sirius," he whispered.

Sirius inclined his head in acknowledgement and glanced down at James' son. He crouched to the ground to be eye level with him.

"And you must be Harry," he said, smiling at him. When the boy nodded, Sirius offered his hand to Harry as well. "I'm Sirius."

"Hullo, Sirius," Harry murmured, taking Sirius' hand and giving it a gentle shake.

"Tell me, Harry," Sirius began softly, "do you love your mum?" Harry provided a weak nod. "Well, she loves you too; told me so."

Harry's eyes shone with faint hope as he stared at Sirius. "Did she really?"

"Yes, she did," answered Sirius. "Can you do something for me, Harry?"

Harry glanced up at his father questioningly and James nudged him. "S'pose so," Harry finally said. "What is it?"

Sirius pulled a single white lily from behind his back and handed it to Harry, who accepted it in his gentle hands. "Take this lily and keep it," Sirius said. "As long as you have it, your mum will always be with you. Never stop loving your mum, Harry."

"Thank you," Harry whispered as Sirius stood.

"You're welcome, Harry," Sirius whispered back. He glanced at James again as he started to turn away and the man provided him with a sad, grateful smile. Sirius nodded before walking in the opposite direction and Apparating away.

* * *

><p>The sound of the television greeted Sirius as he entered the flat and removed his shoes. He made his way down the hall and stood in the living room doorway as the Muggle newswoman began her report.<p>

"The death toll climbs higher and higher as an unknown and previously unseen illness threatens not only Britain, but the rest of the world as well. According to officials, a new research facility has been set up in Samara. Scientists from all over the world are preparing to depart for the Russian city in hopes of discovering a way of curing the illness.

"From what we can determine, the symptoms of the illness are –"

The television suddenly went black and Sirius was enveloped in a pair of strong arms. He buried his head in the crook of a warm neck and inhaled the scent of his lover, his home, his comfort.

"I'm happy you're home," Remus murmured into his ear. "I was worried about you."

Sirius smiled and allowed his teeth to gently nip into the soft skin. "You know better than to do that," he whispered.

Remus pulled back and cocked his head, gazing at Sirius fondly. "And yet I still do," he replied. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to come with you. How was it?"

Sirius waved him off and leaned his shoulder against the wall. "'Bout how I expect a funeral should be, I suppose," he answered. His eyes moved around the room as he shrugged. "Don't really have anything to compare it to."

"Be thankful for that," insisted Remus.

Sirius nodded as he gazed out the window. Remus moved behind him and wrapped his arms around Sirius' waist, laying his head on the slightly taller man's shoulder. They fell into a companionable silence and simply breathed together, allowing the uneven rhythms of their chests to soothe their burdened hearts.

"I met her husband and son," Sirius finally murmured.

Remus turned his head so that his cheek was resting on Sirius' shoulder and studied the faint lines around his grey eyes. "How were they?" His chest vibrated against Sirius' back as he spoke.

Sirius sighed and turned in Remus' arms so that his back was leaning on the wall and he was face to face with the other man. "Not well, I think," he replied. "James, her husband, looked as though he was ready to jump in with her. He probably would have if it wasn't for his son."

Remus shook his head. "It can't be an easy thing to deal with, losing the person you love," he murmured, his hand cupping Sirius' jaw. "I don't think I could."

"Nor I," Sirius whispered. His eyes met Remus' brown ones and his breath hitched in his chest as he leaned forward and captured the man's lips in a kiss. They broke for air after a moment and Sirius took the opportunity to tell Remus exactly what he was thinking. "Don't ever leave me." His lips ghosted over Remus' as he spoke.

"Never," Remus panted and then they were kissing again and Sirius was being pushed back against the wall and all he wanted then, all he had e_ver_ wanted was _Remus_.

Eventually, the broke apart and Remus pulled back. "Come on, you daft sod," he said affectionately, grabbing Sirius' hand and pulling him away from the wall. "Let's go have tea and then you can help me…pack."

Sirius grinned and swatted Remus' arse playfully. "I'll help you with more than 'packing'," he suggested as he followed the other man willingly.

* * *

><p>Three weeks later, Alastor Moody found Sirius at his desk.<p>

"Black," he barked and Sirius started in surprise, "I want you, both Longbottoms, and McKinnon at St. Mungo's. Something's happening there."

Sirius' eyebrow arched. "What's happening?" he asked in confusion.

"I don't bloody well know, boy," Moody growled in irritation. "That's why I said _'something'_. We just got a Floo call begging for Aurors."

"Right," Sirius said, holding up his hands in a sign of peace, "I'm going. Keep your eye in its socket."

Moody stomped forward threateningly as Sirius darted away and he knew he would pay for the cheek later. Sirius gathered the others and they all made their way to an Apparition point.

When they arrived in the main lobby of the hospital, all was quiet and it caused the hairs on the back of Sirius' neck to rise. St. Mungo's was never quiet. There were always random people wandering around the waiting room with various types of spell damage or injuries. Even the Mediwitch was absent from the reception desk.

Sirius unsheathed his wand and looked to his companions to make sure they had done the same. Once assured, they slowly progressed down the corridor and towards the far door that led into the rest of the hospital. Frank was the first to enter, followed closely by Alice and Marlene, with Sirius guarding the back.

As he slid through the cracked door, he heard a banging sound from the opposite end of the corridor. He took a step forward and ran directly into Alice Longbottom, who, along with the other two, had stopped completely.

"What are you –?" Sirius began to snap, but he cut himself off when he saw and his eyes widened.

The walls, the floor, and the ceiling were all covered in dripping dark red. It looked as though someone had taken buckets of blood and splashed on every available surface they could find. Marlene motioned to something lying halfway down in the middle of the floor and she walked over to examine it. Three steps away, she turned and vomited. That was when Sirius realised that is was part of an arm. A quick glance around provided him with images of other various detached and mutilated body parts.

He swallowed thickly. "Fuck," he muttered.

The pounding at the doors increased and the next thing anyone knew, they were thrown open. As the foursome stared in horror at what lay behind, Sirius suddenly saw the Gates of Hell.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: The first paragraph is Psalm 23:4 from the Bible (KJV).**_


	2. The Days Grow Sour

_**The Days Grow Sour**_

Sirius ran and slammed his body into the nearest door around the corner. His shaking hands fumbled with the knob as he tried to open it before _they_ came and discovered where he was.

The door finally fell open and he tripped his way inside and slammed it closed behind him. Then his body was leaning against the cool metal and he was crying because they were _dead_. Alice, Frank, and Marlene were all dead and there was _nothing_ he could do about it.

Before Sirius knew what was happening, blackness overwhelmed him as something hard crashed into the back of his head.

* * *

><p>Consciousness came back to Sirius and he emerged from the thick darkness slowly. He stirred and groaned as a sharp pain raced beneath his skull.<p>

"Don't move," a faintly familiar voice advised quietly. "I've managed to Heal you well enough, but it's best not to move around too much right now."

"But, what about those things?" Sirius asked in panic as he opened his eyes to peer through the shadows cast by the dull light and attempted to sit up.

A strong hand pushed him back down. "We're safe for now," the man assured. "Don't worry more than you have to."

Sirius finally caught a glimpse of who was speaking and he gaped. "James?" he asked in astonishment.

"Yeah, it's me," James replied before motioning to Sirius' head. "Sorry about that, by the way. I heard you beating at the door and I thought you were one of those things. Didn't realise that you weren't until it was too late. At least I didn't kill you."

"Bully for you," Sirius remarked sarcastically at James' attempt at humour. James shrugged at him and walked over to a small desk in the corner and started fiddling with something. A low murmur of voices sounded and Sirius realised it was a wireless.

"These things are everywhere," James said. "I've been listening to reports since before you ran in here. It isn't just London or the country, it's the entire world. Everywhere, in every country and every city, those who died of whatever that illness was are suddenly walking, talking, roaming the Earth, but they aren't alive." James closed his eyes and sighed, lifting his glasses and massaging the bridge of his nose. "First Lily and now this…"

Sirius slowly sat up and gazed across the space at James' weary face. "Why are you here?" he asked.

James looked at him in surprise. "I work here," he said. "I'm a Healer. Didn't Lily ever tell you?"

"She didn't, actually," Sirius replied, a frown pulling at his lips. "Odd that she didn't, really, considering how much she talked about you."

James shrugged. "Probably never crossed her mind," he dismissed. He turned to face Sirius fully. "So what are we going to do? We have to get out of here."

"Yes, we do. So how do we do that?" Sirius muttered to himself, his training kicking in. "We have to get to the Auror office."

"Sirius," James said, his eyes meeting Sirius' firmly. "My son is at a friend's house. I have to find him."

Sirius' eyes slid to the side as he thought quickly. "Where is he?"

"Ottery St. Catchpole," he replied.

"How many people are there besides Harry?"

"Five," James said before swallowing and meeting Sirius' eyes in fear. "They recently lost one of their sons and their daughter."

Sirius' eyes widened. "The illness?" he asked, dread filling his stomach and making him nauseous.

James only nodded. He knew what that meant as well as Sirius did.

"Right," Sirius said, thinking quickly, "first thing we have to do is get out of this hospital."

"Any idea how to kill those things?" James asked.

"Kill the dead?" Sirius scoffed. "Not a clue. Stunning them doesn't work and neither does the killing curse, as much as I hate admitting that I tried."

"I tried a number of things as well," James said, leaning against the desk. "None of mine worked, either. The closest I got was cutting one of their arms off and it didn't even seem to notice that it was gone."

"Our best bet will probably be burning them or severing their heads," Sirius murmured. "It probably won't do much to stop them, but it should slow them down."

James nodded and pulled out his wand. "Ready?" he asked.

Sirius stood and copied the other man's movement. "Ready," he confirmed.

"On the count of three," James said as he reached for the doorknob. "One, two, three!"

The door swung open and both men charged out into the corridor. Their eyes searched for any signs of threat, but they encountered nothing.

They paused to catch their breaths when they reached the ground floor. James looked at Sirius and gave him a small smile.

"Well, that was easier than I thought it would be," he whispered, lowering his wand.

"James, don't –!" Sirius cried just as a snarl sounded from behind them.

James was suddenly tackled to the ground, his wand rolling out of his hand and bouncing down the corridor. Sirius watched in horror as the man wrestled with a bloodied figure, his own wand aimed and waiting for an opportunity. He got his chance when, with a might kick, James threw the woman off of him.

"_Incendio!_" Sirius cried. A piercing scream echoed through the corridor as the woman turned and ran.

Sirius quickly scanned the surrounding area for any more threats before turning to James. "Are you hurt?" he demanded, his hands patting at the man's arms and torso, searching for wounds. "Did she bite you?"

James shook his head and swallowed. "I – I'm fine," he stuttered.

Sirius sighed in relief. "_Accio_ James' wand," he said. The light brown wood soared up and into his free hand and he offered it to James.

"Thanks," he said.

"Don't you _ever_ lower your wand again, understood?" Sirius growled and James nodded. "Good. Now let's get out of here."

They slowly made their way to the main lobby, watching and listening for anymore danger. They reached the large room without any difficulty and were about to Apparate away when a voice sounded behind them.

"Sirius," it cooed sweetly, "you're not just going to leave me, are you?"

Sirius rounded quickly and gasped. "Alice," he whispered and the sight of her caused his stomach to twist unpleasantly. He heard James gag behind him.

"Look what's happened to me," she continued, pulling at her blood-stained blond hair. "Do you want to see what I can do?"

"No," Sirius answered, his heart pounding.

Alice smiled and her teeth flashed red. Her hand reached up to the back of her head and Sirius realised that three of her fingers were missing. Left behind were three stubs, bone and tissue dangling freely from where the rest of the digits had been chewed off by flat, dull teeth. Sirius swallowed back the bile that rose in his throat.

"Look," Alice prompted as she brought her hand back down. It was covered in even more blood than before, and when she opened it, Sirius retched when he saw a piece of her brain lying in the middle of her palm like some sort of twisted, morbid offering.

Alice cocked her head to the side as she watched Sirius vomit up the contents of his stomach. "Don't you like it, Sirius?" she asked, her lips pursing into a pout.

Sirius' chest heaved as he struggled to breathe. "No, I don't," he whispered desperately.

Alice frowned. "Your birthday is in a couple of months," she said. Her eyes narrowed and her head tilted even more. "I think I'm going to miss it. This is your gift."

"I don't want it," Sirius breathed.

Alice's hand twitched as thought she was going to close it, but she stopped. "A mind is a beautiful thing, Sirius," she stated as she glared at him. "It's a horrible thing to waste."

Her hand rose to her mouth and she tossed the piece of brain inside. It made a sickening squishing sound as her teeth collided with it. Sirius' stomach rocked again.

"Mmm," she hummed in appreciation, running her tongue over her hand. "Delicious."

James reached up and gripped Sirius' shoulder. "We have to go," he whispered.

Alice's eyes focused on Sirius sharply. "What are you going to tell my son?" she asked harshly. "He's an orphan now. Mummy and Daddy aren't coming home for little Neville." She licked her lips and grinned. "At least not the way they used to be."

"Leave him alone," Sirius warned.

"Don't defend him, Sirius. This is _your_ fault," she snapped. "Moody put _you_ in charge of this and you _failed_. You failed because you let us die!"

"No," Sirius protested. "I tried to help you, but I couldn't. I'm sorry."

"You're sorry?" she laughed out cruelly. "You, Sirius, are _never_ sorry about anything. Always so cocky and sure of yourself, strolling through life without a care in the world. What does the great Sirius Black have to be sorry about? He's alive!"

"No!" Sirius screamed. "That isn't true. I _do_ care and I am sorry." He closed his eyes and took a deep breath. "It doesn't matter what you say because you're not Alice."

"Of course I am," she snapped, throwing her arms wide. "Look at me."

Sirius shook his head. "You have her body, but you're not her. Alice Longbottom is dead. I saw her die."

Alice clicked her teeth together and smirked, her eyes narrowed. "True," she relented with a shrug, "but she's still in here, screaming, _burning_." A spark of twisted glee entered her eyes. "And do you know what she's saying, Sirius? She's saying that it is your fault. It's because of you that she'll never see her son again. It's because of you that he's alone."

Sirius shook his head violently and clenched his hands. "No," he said.

"It's because of you that she's dead," Alice continued. "You're a coward."

James' hand wrapped around Sirius' arm. "Ignore her," he whispered. "She's lying."

Alice took a step forward and all Sirius could do was stare. "You just stood there and watched as her husband was murdered before her very eyes. You never even _moved_. She _begged_ you to do something; begged you to help her and you did _nothing_. You froze and never even twitched until they came after her and by then it was too late. She died because you were too much of a fucking coward to save her."

Sirius fell to his knees with a sob. "I'm sorry," he moaned. "I'm so sorry. I – I didn't know what to do. There were so many of them."

"You're weak!" she screeched, advancing towards him. "Weak and ruled by petty emotions. You allow death to approach you so easily." She grinned again. "Which reminds me, I am so dreadfully hungry."

She lunged before Sirius could react. He tired to scramble backwards, but she was too quick and her nails dug into the flesh of his neck as she grabbed for him. Just as Sirius began to think that it was his end, there was a flash of blue light and Alice leapt back and screamed with rage as her arm was severed from the rest of her body.

James was suddenly there behind him, hauling him to his feet. "Come on!" he shouted.

Just before they Disapparated, Sirius turned to the quickly approaching dead woman and whispered brokenly, "I'm sorry, Alice" as he severed her head from her body. The muted thump it made as it hit the floor was lost under the loud crack of Apparition.

* * *

><p>Sirius collapsed against an old stone wall when they reappeared. His body shook and his eyes stung and all he wanted to do was <em>scream<em>. Yet still he felt nothing more than strong guilt and regret. He was beginning to wonder if he would ever feel the type of sorrow that so many others had.

James gripped his shoulder as he stood behind Sirius. "Forget about what she said," the man told him. "All she was trying to do was distract you."

Sirius clenched his eyes closed. "She was telling the truth, though," she said, voice shaking. "It is my fault they're dead. I was in charge and they were my responsibility. When we were being attacked, all I did was stare because I was terrified. There was so many of them and they were all pouring through the door and my mind just froze at the sight. All I could think was why is this happening? Why here and now? Why us?"

Sirius drew in a shuddering breath. "When I finally reacted, it was too late. They were all dead and there was nothing I could do. So I ran. I ran and I hid like a great bloody coward."

"Sirius," James sighed, "everyone reacted like that. Those…things, they're people we knew; people we watched die. And they were up, walking around, talking, pretending to be the people they originally were. They aren't those people, though. I don't know what they are, but I do know that they aren't human."

"You don't understand!" Sirius shouted, jumping from the wall and pulling at his hair. "I'm an Auror. I was trained for this. I should be able to _do_ something, but instead I'm helpless."

James stood abruptly and brought his face so close to Sirius' that their noses were almost touching. "Don't you dare tell me that I don't understand," he growled. "_No one_ has been trained for this, Sirius, because no one expected it." He pulled away slightly, but his eyes still blazed. "Do you not think that I feel the same way you do? I'm a Healer, Sirius, but there isn't _anything_ I can do for any of them and it is _killing_ me inside. They are all suffering, but even with every single bit of training I have, there is _nothing_ I can do."

Sirius deflated at James words and slowly sank to the grass at his feet. "You're right," he whispered. "You're right, James, and I'm sorry."

James exhaled a large breath of air and sat down beside Sirius. He gazed into the distance with a far-off expression in his hazel eyes. Finally, he turned to Sirius and stared at him in contemplation.

"You talk about wanting to help someone," he said softly. "What would you say if I told you that you already had?"

"What are you talking about?" Sirius asked, confusion marring his tone.

"Harry," James replied. "That lily you gave him, he carries it with him everywhere. Hasn't let the thing out of his sight. I go into his room in the mornings while he's still sleeping and there it is, lying on his bedside table." The corner of his lips tugged up slightly. "He smiles a lot when he looks at it. When I see him doing that I know he's remembering Lily, and that makes me smile as well."

Sirius swallowed as James' eyes turned away. "So really, you've helped two people," James continued, "because when he smiles, I see her and it's made it easier to bear."

They sat in silence for a long while as Sirius attempted to gain control of his swelling emotions. Eventually, he stood and offered his hand to help the other man up.

"Let's go get your son, James," he said.

James nodded and they set off across the field. A short time later, they crested a small hill and Sirius caught his first glimpse of the tall, crooked house.

"That's the Burrow," James said. "Home of the Weasley family."

"Weasley?" Sirius asked in shock. "As in Arthur Weasley, the one that works at the Ministry?"

"That's the one," James answered. "I take it that you know him?"

"Just a bit," Sirius said, shock coursing through his body. "I went to school with three of his sons. We were all in the same House. Bill was in my year; shared a dorm with him for seven years." Sirius shook his head in despair. "Merlin, when you said friends and that they had recently lost children…I never even connected it."

"Horrible, isn't it?" James asked with a shake of his head. "I don't even want to imagine losing one child. I can't possibly dream of what it would be like to lose two, especially only within a couple of week of one another."

Sirius glanced at James and saw that he his face was tight with worry. He gently bumped his shoulder into the other man's.

"He'll be all right, James," he assured. "Those Weasleys, they're a tough lot. Curse breakers and dragon handlers…"

James swallowed, but didn't reply and they walked on. As they came upon the stone wall surrounding the garden of the Burrow, both men pulled out their wands and crouched down, surveying the area.

"See anything?" Sirius whispered.

James shook his head. "No," he answered just as quietly. "You?"

"Nothing," Sirius said. He glanced around, searching for something within the boundaries of the property that they could use for cover and shelter. "You see that shed across the way?" James nodded. "Let's get over there and use the side wall."

They climbed over the wall and raced across the grass as quickly as they could. Just as they ducked behind the corner, the back door of the house opened and slammed closed.

"James, dear," a feminine voice called cheerily, "is that you?"

Sirius glanced at James questioningly and the other man muttered, "Molly, Arthur's wife."

"Can you see her?" Sirius asked quietly.

"Not without her seeing me as well," he said, shaking his head.

"Shit," Sirius cursed. "So how do we know if she's…" He trailed off, not wanting to say what they both knew he was thinking.

"Gear up and come out to fly," James replied in a demeaning tone. Sirius rolled his eyes.

"James, dear, if that's you and you're looking for Harry," Molly called again, "I don't know where he is. He and the other children ran off in a bit of a fright earlier. I can't imagine why." A jeering tone had entered her voice as she had spoke and James glanced at Sirius sharply.

"James, no!" Sirius shouted, making a grab for the other man, but he missed as James dodged around the corner of the shed and pulled his wand on someone Sirius couldn't see. He growled in frustration as he followed the older man.

The sight that greeted him was not pleasant. A short, plump, red-headed woman of about forty stood before James. Her hair was hanging in blood-matted tendrils around her pale and scratched face. Her right arm hung uselessly at her side, half of the flesh of her shoulder missing. Her abdomen was also missing a sizable portion and the gaping hole left behind was enough to send Sirius' head reeling.

"What have you done with my son?" James hissed.

Molly flashed a motherly smile at him, a hint of something feral glinting in her brown eyes. "I haven't done anything, James," she replied sweetly. "We were _going _to have lunch, but as I said before, all the children ran off. There must have been something I offered that they didn't like. I don't understand why. The other three were quite pleased with the selection."

As the words left her mouth, three more figures emerged from within the house. The first was clearly Arthur Weasley. He wasn't nearly as badly damaged as Molly was. There was a small bite in his neck that was surrounded by rusty, dried red blood. Sirius assumed that it had been Molly to provide him with it. It was much too tender looking to have been one of the others.

The other two were obviously their once dead children. The boy, Percy, was not much younger than Sirius himself was. He had been in his first year at Hogwarts when Sirius was in his last, which meant he was probably fifteen or sixteen. His skin was starting to decay and a horrible stench radiated from him and the other child. His dark red hair was beginning to thin and fall away as his scalp peeled back from his skull.

The other, the girl, was Ginny. She was so young and so tiny and probably no more than a year away from Harry's own age. Her jaw was dislocated and hung askew from the rest of her face and Sirius wondered how she fed. The side of her face beside her left eye was black and a bit dented and looked as though something had hit her round the head. The sight of her made Sirius' heart ache in a way he had never thought possible.

Arthur walked up behind Molly and wrapped his arms around her chest, his arm brushing lightly over the large wound in her stomach. "Molly Flooed me and I came home from work early and found the loveliest spread," he said heartily. "Never in my existence have I seen such an appetizing selection."

"Where's my son?" James said pleadingly, his eyes swimming with tears. "Please, I just want Harry. We'll go; we'll leave you be. I just want my son. Please tell me where he is."

Ginny tugged on the hem of her mother's apron and looked up at her silently. Molly smiled at her daughter and turned to James and Sirius.

"Ginny is requesting that you stay for lunch," she said politely. "Will you please stay?"

"No," Sirius snapped. "Where's Harry?"

"It's rude to refuse such an invitation," Percy stated pompously.

James' hands clenched at his sides in fury. "_Where's my son?_" he roared.

Arthur tsked. "Now, now, James," he said. "Is that anyway to behave?"

"D – Dad?" a soft voice called from behind them.

Both Sirius and James rounded to see Harry's frightened face peeking out from around the shed door. James released a strangled cry and ran to Harry, wrapping his arms around him and pulling him close. He hugged him for a long moment before pushing Harry away slightly and running his hands along the length of his son's body and across his face.

"Are you all right?" he asked desperately, panic filling his voice and causing it to shake. "Are you hurt?"

"I – I'm fine," Harry stuttered out. "We ran and hid when they said it was time for lunch." Harry glanced over at the foursome and his eyes widened a bit. "Dad, they wanted to _eat_ us." He stopped again and his face flamed red in shame as his eyes landed on Ginny. "And I hit Ginny with a wooden board."

James emitted a half laugh, half sob as he pulled Harry close again. "It doesn't matter so long as you're safe," he whispered. "Where are the others?"

"They're in here," Harry said, motioning behind him. There was the sound of shuffling and three other redheads emerged from within the shed. James grabbed them as well and examined them until he was satisfied that they were all right as well.

"Fred, George," James said as he stood, "I want you to grab onto Harry and Ron and don't let go of them for anything, understood?" The twins nodded and did as they were told, moving in behind Sirius and James as they turned back to the rest of the family.

"We'll go to my house," James whispered in Sirius' ear. "It has loads of wards, so we should be safe for a bit and you can try and contact the Ministry. We have to use the Floo, though. You can't Apparate anywhere within a mile of the property."

"Right," Sirius scoffed, "the easy option, then, is it?" James' only answer was an apologetic glance. Sirius looked to Arthur. "Don't suppose you'd be willing to let us use your Floo, would you?"

Arthur's eyes narrowed. "I don't think that would be the best idea," he replied in a low murmur.

"Thought not," Sirius remarked. "Well, I suppose we'll have to do this by force, won't we?"

Molly's left hand reached for her wand and she aimed it at Sirius, but her aim was off due to the lack of her wand hand and she growled when she missed.

"Don't worry, Mother," Percy said superiorly, stepping forward and raising his own wand, "I'll take care of them."

"Such a wonderful boy," Molly stated proudly.

"Close your eyes, kids," Sirius called to the four children standing behind him.

"_Stupefy!_" Percy cried as he stepped forward.

James blocked the spell quickly as Sirius shouted, "_Incendio!_" Percy screamed as he burst into flames and fell to the ground. Sirius gagged at the sickening smell of burning flesh that radiated heavily through the air.

"Percy!" Molly screeched. She rounded on Sirius, anger filling her eyes as she roared, "You will not harm my children!" Her wand slashed through the air, but she missed again and hit a ceramic flower pot. It exploded, raining dirt down around their heads.

"I'm sorry, Molly," James said gravely, "but you're too dangerous." He raised his wand and severed her head from her shoulders. Sirius watched as the green grass tinted red beneath her body.

"No!" Arthur cried as he dropped to his knees beside the woman. Ginny released a strangled, keening cry.

"James!" Sirius shouted. "Grab the kids and get them inside. Make sure there's nothing in there before you let them follow you all the way in. I'll bring up the back."

James nodded and ran to the children, leading them towards the house and directing their eyes away from their family members. Sirius followed behind, his back to the others and his wand trained on Arthur and Ginny. Just as he was entering the door, Arthur leapt to his feet and charged towards him, wand held aloft, Ginny running at his heels.

"Go!" Sirius screamed into the house.

He raced into the living room and slammed the door behind himself, performing a locking charm while he was at it. He turned to the other five.

"That won't keep them out for long, so we have to go," he said. "James, Floo ahead to your house and make sure it's safe. I'll give you thirty seconds. If you haven't come back, I'll send them through one at a time."

"Right," James said, grabbing a handful of Floo powder and throwing it into the flames. "Shadow Cottage, Godric's Hollow!"

Sirius waited, counting the seconds in his head as he watched the door. After half a minute had passed and James had not returned, he motioned to one of the twins. "Go on," he urged.

One by one, the children disappeared into the Floo. Just as Sirius was throwing his how own handful of powder down, the door burst open and Arthur pounded in. Sirius flashed him a cheeky grin before the flames swallowed him.

He reappeared inside a light, tidy, and nicely decorated room. He glanced around quickly, searching for the others and found them standing a small distance away from the fireplace, none of them moving. Sirius advanced slowly and gazed around the group. He gaped.

"Hello, loves," Lily greeted from her seat in the armchair.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: The zombies that you see here are not fully mine. They are based off of zombies I read about in a book called The Rising by Brian Keene. An amazing book, I have to say, and I highly recommend reading it.**_

_**Also, another large thank you goes to eldritcher for another wonderful beta job! Thanks, dear!**_


	3. The Dust Explodes

_**The Dust Explodes**_

Sirius stared at the once beautiful woman who was seated in the large armchair. Barely three weeks in the grave, but her fair skin was already hanging loosely from her bones as though she had aged sixty years in the blink of an eye. Her long red hair was matted beyond repair and had thinned considerably as he skin decayed around its roots. Yet she was still a sight to behold, her very presence screaming grace and elegance and Sirius was very thankful that she wasn't too damaged, if only because James' and Harry's eyes were locked on her like a moth to a flame.

"M-Mum?" Harry stuttered out hopefully as he took a tentative step forward. Sirius reached out quickly and grabbed the boy's shoulder, preventing him from moving any closer. Harry turned and glared up at him as his small body struggled in Sirius' grip. "Let me go! That's my mum! I want to see her!"

"That isn't your mum, Harry," Sirius explained gently. "It looks like her, but it's really not."

Lily leaned forward and her piercing green eyes locked on Harry's. "Don't listen to him," she murmured. "He's lying to you. Listen to my voice. It _is_ me, love." Sirius wrapped his arms around Harry as he struggled harder at the words and Lily smirked at Sirius. He looked to James for help, but the man was completely frozen as he stared at his dead wife.

"Don't you miss me, Harry?" Lily asked softly, her lips pouting into a sad frown.

"Yes," Harry panted.

Lily stood and crossed her arms as she glared down at her son reproachfully. "I don't think you do," she hissed. "I think your father and you have been quite happy without me."

"No!" Harry yelled. "Mum, no, we _have_ missed you! Why did you _leave_?"

Lily ignored him. "You _haven't _missed me, or else you would be over here with _me_ instead of with _Sirius_!" she shouted, uttering Sirius' name as though it wasn't fit to pass her decaying lips.

"That isn't true!" Harry cried as he worked his arms vigorously against Sirius' hands. "He won't let me _go_!"

"Then fight harder!" Lily snarled, and Harry did. His hands came up into balled fists and he beat against Sirius' arms with as much force as a ten year old could manage. When that attempt failed, he brought his left leg up and kicked out his foot, slamming against Sirius' knee. The pressure overbalanced Sirius and he fell backwards, Harry slipping out of his grip easily. Sirius cried out as the boy darted forward, but there was nothing he could do.

"Catch him!" he shouted at the other three children. Their arms reached out, but Harry dodged around their grasping hands. Sirius could do nothing but sit, panicked, and watch with bated breath as Harry quickly approached the waiting, grinning woman.

Just before Harry reached her, a pair of arms shot out and grabbed the boy round the waist. "Harry, no!" James cried as he fell to his knees, and Lily shrieked with rage. Harry turned and looked at his father in shock.

"Dad?" he whispered.

"Do you see, Harry?" Lily snapped and Harry's green eyes shifted to her. "I was right. Your father _doesn't_ miss me."

"Harry, listen to me," James said vehemently, his hands framing the boy's face so that the green eyes were locked with his hazel. "That is _not_ your mother." Harry opened his mouth to protest, but James overrode him. "Listen to me! I _know_ it looks like her, and I _know_ it sounds like her, but it _isn't_, Harry. Your mum is gone, and she can't come back, do you understand me?" A tear leaked down Harry's cheek and James' tone softened as he pulled his son against his chest. "I wish she could, Harry, every day, but she _can't_. She just _can't_, Harry, and we have to accept that."

Harry's back shuddered with silent sobs and, slowly, his head nodded against James' shoulder. James pulled back and his hands smoothed over Harry's hair before he stood. He stared at Lily as he kept a firm hold on Harry's shoulder and Lily smiled sweetly at him.

"James, dear," she murmured. James' back tensed at the sound of her voice and his grip tightened on Harry.

"Sirius," he said flatly, his hazel eyes not leaving his wife's green, "take the kids upstairs. Put silencing charms up."

Sirius stood and reached for Harry. The boy hesitated, but after a sharp look from James, he allowed Sirius to pull him away. He and the other three children gathered in the living room doorway as Sirius turned to the other man.

"James –" he began quietly, but James cut across him.

"Go!" he roared, fire and sadness burning in his eyes. Sirius swallowed and ushered the children out of the room and up the stairs.

"James, darling, you –" Sirius' heard Lily say before he slammed the bedroom door shut behind him and placed the requested charm over the room. He leaned his back against the smooth wood as his chest heaved for air and his eyes searched out the four children left under his charge. He found them huddled together in the far corner, staring at him with wide, fearful eyes. Sirius swallowed and tried to provide them with a reassuring smile as he walked over and sat on the floor in front of them.

His eyes travelled around the room as he tried to think of something that would distract the four from what was happening downstairs. "This is your bedroom, Harry?" he finally asked as he took in the smaller bed, the child-oriented décor, and the various toys.

"Yeah," Harry muttered, his eyes locked on the door.

Sirius moved a bit and positioned his body in Harry's line of sight. "Mind showing us some of your things?" Harry shrugged and Sirius clamped his lips down around a sigh. _This is one of the reasons I'm gay,_ he thought to himself. _Children and I do not get on. That, and Remus was too irresistible to pass up._ A lump rose in his throat as he thought of his lover and he quickly looked around for something to focus his attention on. "What's that?" he asked, motioning with his chin to what look like a miniature Quidditch Pitch.

Harry stood and walked to retrieve it. "It's my game board," he said as he set it down between Sirius and his friends. "Dad got it for me when he took me to the World Cup two years ago."

"Did you enjoy the match?" Sirius asked, reflecting on his own experience at the same game. It had been Remus' first World Cup, and Sirius had spent more time watching the man watch the players than actually viewing it himself.

Harry's face broke out into a weak smile. "It was wicked," he answered. "The Quafflepunchers _destroyed_ the Vultures."

"Who were you cheering for?" Sirius said.

Harry grinned. "The Quafflepunchers."

Sirius balked and the children laughed in amusement. "What?" he squawked. "_Why_? Their robes are so bright and garishly pink that you can barely see them."

"Which makes them all the better," one of the twins said.

"Blinding and brilliant," the other continued.

Sirius shook his head in mock dismay.

"The Cannons are still the best team," Ron spoke up, "even if they are International."

The other three kids snorted in amusement and Sirius cried, "The Cannons? They haven't won a match in three years!"

Ron opened his mouth to retort, but Sirius held up his hands for peace. "All right, all right. Harry, show us how this thing works before all out war breaks."

Harry did as he was told and as he prodded the miniature players around the Pitch, Sirius' thoughts drifted down the stairs to James. Why had he not been up to find them yet? Was he all right? Was he hurt? Was he…dead? Had he managed to kill Lily and done the same thing to himself because of the grief?

Questions upon questions flooded into Sirius' mind and his head began to pound from the stress of the entire day. James was all right; he had to be. If not, Lily would have already been upstairs, searching them out.

Sirius swallowed down his doubt. "Harry," he began and the boy glanced up at him, "where's your toilet?"

Harry's eyes shifted around the room. "Down the hall; last door on the right. You're not leaving us, are you?" he asked, panic sparking in his tone. The others looked up at him fearfully.

"I'll be back before you know it," he assured as he stood. "And I'm locking you in with a spell that only Aurors know, so you'll be perfectly safe, all right?" They slowly nodded at him as he withdrew his wand, their eyes terrified. "It's going to be all right."

He opened the door quickly, wand positioned, and stared down the small hall in both directions before stepping out and pulling it closed behind him. He tapped the wood with the tip of his wand, silently locking it against anyone but himself and carefully made his way to the stairs. He reached the living room without any problems and what he found there made his heart fall to his feet. In front of Lily's headless body, James lay slumped on the floor, unmoving.

Sirius' chest heaved as his breathing increased and he slowly advanced forward. Halfway across the room, his heart leapt into his throat as James' body shuddered with sobs. He moved towards the man quickly, wand still ready, and gazed down at him warily.

"James?" he whispered. James' back tensed and he quickly pushed himself up into a sitting position. He looked up at Sirius, his eyes swollen and his red flushed face streaked with tear tracks, and tried to force his sobs away. His eyes, though, shifted to Lily, and he broke down once more. Sirius sank to his knees at the man's side and pulled James into his arms, comforting him the only way he knew how: silently.

* * *

><p>"Harry," Sirius murmured as he opened the door and saw all four children visibly relax when they saw Sirius' face. "Harry, your dad's all right." Harry's shoulders fell in relief and Sirius stared the other three as well. "I still want you four to stay here. Do not leave this room until James or I tell you to, understood?" The children nodded and Sirius slowly backed out of the room.<p>

He made his way down to the living room. When he arrived, he found Lily's body gone and James _Scourgifying_ the blood stains from the carpet.

"James," he said softly as he approached, "you should have left that to me."

James' throat tightened at he swallowed. "She was my wife. It was my responsibility," he muttered and Sirius wondered if he was referring to the clean-up, or the death itself.

Sirius didn't know what to say and stood in silence until James turned to him. "Didn't you say you need to call the Auror office?" he asked.

Sirius' head snapped up. "Oh, yeah. Right," he mumbled. He moved to the fireplace and grabbed a handful of Floo powder from the mantle. "Be ready behind me in case something tries to come through." James nodded and held his wand at the ready as Sirius crawled to his knees, lit the fire, and threw the powder into the flames. "Ministry of Magic; Auror Department."

His head spun as room after room flashed before his eyes. When the images finally settled, Sirius was gazing at a deserted room filled with cubicles.

"Hello," he called cautiously. "Anyone here?"

No one answered and Sirius was about to push himself through when a grizzled face appeared before his.

"Black," Moody growled softly, "what are you doing here? Go away!"

Sirius gaped. "What are you talking about? Have you not _seen_ what's going on?"

Moody huffed. "Of course I've seen it. The Ministry's overrun."

Sirius' eyes glanced around the room skeptically. "Where is everyone?" he asked. "All the Aurors? Tell me you have _someone_. I've got a man and four kids here and I need help."

Moody studied him. "Where are McKinnon and the Longbottoms?" Sirius swallowed thickly and looked down at the green embers beneath his head. Moody sighed. "Everyone's dead, kid. Far as I know, you and I are the last two Aurors left."

"Then we're coming there," Sirius said vehemently. "You need all the help you can get."

"Don't you dare, Black!" Moody barked. "I've locked and barricaded them outside the office, so I'm safe for now. Your job is to stay as far away from here as you can and keep those people safe."

"Then you can come here," Sirius snapped. "If you're the only one left, there's nothing you can do there."

"Don't take that tone with me, boy!" Moody warned. "And I ain't leaving." Sirius opened his mouth to object, but Moody waved him off. "I took an oath when I became an Auror to protect this Ministry until the end. That's exactly what I plan to do."

"So did I!" Sirius shouted in desperation. "I took the same oath and you're telling me to stay _here_?"

Both of Moody's eyes landed on Sirius. "I am," he replied. "You also swore to protect the innocent, and that's exactly what you're going to –" Moody broke off as a banging sounded against the door that Sirius' couldn't see, followed by the sound of splintering wood. Moody's magical eye swiveled and his shoulders squared. "Here we go." His hand came up and pushed against Sirius' head. "Go on, boy. Put a block on that fireplace so that they can't follow you."

"Mad-Eye," Sirius breathed just before a horde of undead barreled around the corner. Moody shoved harder against his head and Sirius quickly backed out of the fire, the connection snapping the moment he was free.

He didn't know how long he sat and stared at the orange flames. One thought kept running round and round through his mind: _Moody's gone. There's nothing I can do. Mad-Eye Moody, the greatest Auror in existence, is dead and there is nothing I can do about it._

A hand landed on his shoulder and Sirius started under the gentle pressure. He glanced up to see James staring down at him in understanding.

"We're not getting any help, are we?" he asked softly.

Sirius stood and pointed his wand at the flickering flames, placing a block on the fireplace before he turned to James. "No, we aren't," he whispered.

"All right," James sighed, a sense of calm overcoming him. "Go around the house and put that special locking charm you've got on all the doors and windows. I'm going to get the kids and bring them downstairs. Then we can figure out what we're going to do."

"Yeah, okay." James turned to walk away, but Sirius stopped him. "James?" The man glanced back at Sirius. "You would've made a good Auror."

James gazed at him for a long moment before a small smile worked its way over his face. "Almost was one," he said.

Sirius stared at him in shock. "What changed?"

James motioned to the front door. "We'll talk about it later," he said. "Get those doors locked." Then he disappeared out of the room.

Sirius went about his task quickly, moving from the first floor to the second in a matter of minutes. When he was finished, he made his way downstairs and found James and the four children in the kitchen. James was bent over, searching through a cupboard and the kids were seated around the table, playing with Harry's Quidditch Pitch.

James straightened up and clapped his hands together. "How does sandwiches sound to everyone?" he asked cheerily.

Sirius' stomach rumbled at the suggestion as the kids voiced their enthusiasm.

"Sounds good," Harry said.

"Yeah," agreed Ron as he pushed a player into position.

"We're starved," one of the twins said.

"Famished," the other joined in.

"Ravenous."

"Voracious."

"Hungry."

"Empty."

"Hollow."

"Er…peckish?"

"That's enough," James called. "And 'peckish' doesn't fit with the rest of those words, George."

_I really have to learn to tell them apart_, Sirius thought.

"Want some help?" he asked as he walked up next to James.

"Yeah," James answered, handing him a pack of meat. He caught Sirius' eyes travelling to the twins and he grinned. "The only way to tell them apart is by their hair. George's hair flips a bit up front. Fred has tried to get his to do the same, but he can never manage it. Keep an eye on them. They think it's all good fun to confuse people."

"Thanks," Sirius murmured as they finished up and passed the plates around.

James and he sat at the counter so that they could watch over the kids. Sirius lifted his sandwich to his mouth, but one smell of the meat had his stomach rolling as the events of the day became fresh in his mind again and he set it back down, pushing his plate away. He noticed James doing the same and he sighed.

"Think we'll ever be able to eat again?" he asked quietly.

James shrugged as he picked at his bread. "S'pose we'll have to eventually." He brought his hands up to his face and rubbed his eyes beneath his glasses. "So what are we going to do? We can't stay here forever."

"I was thinking about that while I was locking up the house," Sirius began. "My boyfriend –"

James' head jerked up and he stared at Sirius sharply. "You're gay?" he snapped.

Sirius' jaw clenched as he squared his shoulders. "I am," he answered, a warning tone entering his voice. "Do you have a problem with that?"

James raised his hands for peace. "No, I don't," he assured. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean it that way. You just…don't look the type, that's all." His eyes shifted away and Sirius' narrowed.

"There's something you're not saying," Sirius prodded.

James sighed and began pinching at his sandwich again. "When I saw you at the cemetery and you started talking about Lily, and I saw _you_, I couldn't stop myself from wondering…" He trailed off and sighed again. "I didn't want to remember Lily like that, though, so I didn't think about it anymore, but earlier…she was making references and hints…"

Sirius' hand squeezed James' arm gently. "Lily was a beautiful woman, James, but not at all my type," he murmured. "I've known I was gay since I was fourteen and I've been in love with my boyfriend, Remus, for just as long. We've been together since we were sixteen and he's the only person I've ever been with, the only person I have ever wanted, and the only person I will _ever_ want."

James smiled wistfully. "It's nice to have that, isn't it?"

"It is," Sirius agreed quietly, his thoughts and worries turning to the man he was discussing. Was he all right? Was he safe? Sirius would have given anything to have been able to hold him at that very moment.

"So what's this idea of yours?" James asked, and Sirius broke himself out of his melancholy.

"Right," Sirius said, spinning his plate around between his hands. "Well, like I said, Remus, he's a Medi-Chemist –"

"Dad, can I have another sandwich?" Harry asked from beside James' elbow.

"Yeah, Harry. Give me your plate," James replied. "Who else wants more?" The other three carried their plates up to James as answer and he chuckled. "I forget how much boys can eat sometimes."

Harry studied Sirius as James carried the plates to the opposite counter and began making more sandwiches. "What's a Medi-Chemist?" Harry finally asked.

"A Medi-Chemist is basically the same as a Muggle scientist," Sirius explained. "They invent, study, and discover new things. A Chemist discovers medicine."

"What's a sien-fist?" Ron questioned in confusion.

"Er…" Sirius began as he struggled to find a suitable answer. "Well, a scientist is…erm…"

"Harry, you know what a scientist is, don't you?" James said as he brought the boys' plates back. When Harry nodded, James handed him his food and smiled. "Think you can explain to this lot what they do?"

"Yeah, Dad," Harry answered cheerily as he walked back to the table and launched into an animated discussion about what it was a Muggle scientist did.

"Lily was a Muggle-born, wasn't she?" Sirius asked softly.

"Yeah," James sighed. "Made sure Harry knew everything there was to know about Muggles. Made sure I did too, for that matter. Up until Harry was about six, I couldn't go a day without her explaining something to me." James stopped as his eyes turned distant and to Sirius' surprise, he actually grinned. "When we first got married, one of her relatives gave us a blender as a wedding present. The first time I attempted to use it was…interesting. Lily was always talking about how we could make something called a smoothie with fruit in, and it sounded good, so one day, while she was out, I decided to make one and surprise her when she came home."

Sirius choked down a laugh as he asked, "Did you surprise her?"

James snorted. "And myself," he chuckled out. "I didn't exactly know what it was going to do, just sort of threw the fruit inside without cutting it up and pushed the button. The lid popped off and great lumps of fruit flew everywhere. This entire kitchen was covered, from the floor to the ceiling." James' eyes roved around the room, their hazel depths sparking wistfully. "Lily came home before I could clean it up. She took one look at the kitchen before she turned around and walked back out. She came back in after a minute and started laughing at me because I was covered with fruit as well and standing there looking like an idiot because it hadn't worked. Then I started babbling something about trying to surprise her and she stopped laughing at me, but the clean-up was put off for a while longer."

Sirius smiled as his hands continued to work at his plate. "Sounds like you had fun," he teased the older man and James winked.

"You have no idea."

"Oh, I can imagine," Sirius retorted smugly.

James huffed. "All right, enough talk of this," he said, waving his hands about wildly. "I don't care what you do, honestly, but it's not something I want to picture, either." Sirius barked out a laugh and James' lips dropped into a mock frown. "So, this idea…?"

"Yeah," Sirius said as he provided James with a lewd grin. "So you know how the Muggles set up that research facility in Samara?" James nodded and Sirius continued. "Well, the wizarding Ministries set one up as well."

James eyes widened. "I didn't know that," he said in astonishment.

Sirius shook his head. "No one does," he murmured. "The only reason I do is because Remus was one of the Medi-Chemists they sent. The facility's in the same place as the Muggles' is, just underground and completely charmed and warded against them. They don't even know there _are _levels underground."

"So…" James began, "your boyfriend, Remus, and the rest of the Medi-Chemists were trying to develop some sort of cure for that illness?"

"Yeah," Sirius answered as his eyes traveled to the children at the table. Harry was still gesturing wildly and Sirius could only guess that he was miming a great explosion. His lips twitched as he thought of the Muggle Albert Einstein. "He's been there for about three weeks and I talked to him a few days ago and, though he couldn't tell me much, he said he thought they were getting closer. If they're –" Sirius broke off and swallowed. "If they're still…alive, then maybe they can alter what they were making so that it stops this madness."

"So all we have to do is Floo to the facility in Samara," James said excitedly.

Sirius sighed and his hands clenched around his plate. "It's not that simple," he mumbled. "They don't have a Floo connection at the facility for security's sake. Any time I talked with Remus, he had to go somewhere else and Floo from there, and I don't know where he went. He said it was private, so I'm assuming that means there was somewhere else that was set up for that very purpose. If that be the case, there's no way we're going to find it and be able to just pop in…"

"We're still stuck then," James said as his shoulders sagged.

Sirius shrugged as his mood darkened. "We have two options. We can go to my flat – which isn't nearly as big or as safe as your house is, though the wards can be touched up – and wait to see if Remus Floos and then ask him where they are, or we can go to Samara and see if we can find the facility ourselves."

James' brow furrowed. "Samara's a big city, Sirius," he muttered.

"I know," Sirius sighed, his eyes moving to meet James', "but what else can we do? If this same thing is going on in Samara – and I have no doubt that it is – I highly doubt Remus will be able to Floo."

"All right," James said thoughtfully. "How do we go about finding it, then?"

"Got a map?"

"Yeah, give me a second," James said as he stood and rooted through a drawer. "Aha!" he exclaimed as he pulled out a folded piece of paper. He knocked their plates to the side and spread it out across the countertop. "Lily was always fond of gathering maps of every country she could find, just in case we ever decided to take a holiday. Always the planner, she was."

"Right," Sirius said as he located Samara on the giant map of Russia. "From what Remus let – er…slip, I know that the facility is on the east side of the city, so that puts us around here." Sirius pulled out his wand and pointed it the map. "_Apices_." He drew a red circle around the east side before muttering another spell and the circled portion flew up to hang in the air. The map portion became translucent as the streets and buildings glowed red. The children at the table looked up and gaze at the floating image in awe. "I also know that they wanted the facility as far away from the general public as it was possible to be, so that means it's on the very outskirts of the city." He flicked his wand and the map magnified and zeroed in the outside ring. "All right, these –" Sirius waved his wand and three blue squares appeared in random places "—are the places that have been built within the past three months. These –" He waved his wand again and another handful of green squares appeared on the map "—are the buildings that have been empty and vacant up until two months ago. And these –" One last flick of his wand showed numerous purple squares covering the map portion, some overlapping the blue and green ones "—are the buildings that are restricted from the public."

"How do you know how to do all this?" James asked in amazement.

Sirius flashed him a cheeky smile. "Auror, remember? They teach us these types of things in Training." James hummed distractedly as Sirius turned back to the map. "I'd say the blue and green squares that coincide with the purple are our best bets. Newly built or newly housed and are restricted," he said, motioning to four squares with his wand.

"I think you're right," James agreed. "All right, so I say we stay here tonight and pack up some supplies. We can leave out first thing in the morning and go to Samara to see what we can find. Apparate as much as we can."

"This won't be easy, James," Sirius whispered sadly.

James bowed his head. "I know," he sighed. His head lifted and he stared across the room to a laughing Harry before he turned his somber hazel eyes on Sirius. "But we have to try."

James stood and collected the dishes from the children for washing. Sirius swallowed and closed his eyes for a brief moment before he stood as well and followed to help James.

* * *

><p><em><strong>AN: Arrgh! I had all these wonderful plans for gruesome-Lily, but when I got there, I just couldn't do it! She was going to be ghastly, believe me, but I adore Lily, so I just couldn't do it to her. So, bit of a long, boring chapter, I know. Not much happened by way of action, but I had to get a lot of things out of the way before the plot could move on. So, next time, look forward to zombies (of course), Samara, and a new addition to the mismatch group I've put together! I hope everyone is enjoying this so far.**_

_**An Additional Note: I'm planning to put this story on hold until the end of August (which really isn't that far away, so you guys can wait, right?). I've joined the R/S Games on LJ (Go Team Sirius!) and I've got about halfway through the piece I'm writing. Until I get it finished, however, I really need to focus on that right now since there is a deadline. Unless I simply get massively bored one day, or have a sudden surge of inspiration for this story that cannot wait, there won't be another update for about a month and a half. Feel free message me, leave comments, or anything else you can think of, yelling and screaming at me for it. I'll accept them easily. But! If you're a fan of Remus/Sirius (and you must be if you're reading this), posting for the Games starts in October, so drop by and read all the amazing entries that everyone's going to submit and see if you can pick mine out while you're at it. ^_^**_

_**Words of Thanks: To eldritcher again for another lovely (and fast!) beta job. You are amazing, ducky! Also to ChimericalParoxysm for the idea of just what do call Remus' profession (Medi-Chemist). I was completely stumped and she bailed me out of my spot. Thank you, dear!**_


End file.
